What's eveyones favorite ways to completely strap traps down to bare metal fast and in large numbers? Muric acid does the trick with rust in a few minutes but doesn't seem to touch wax paint ECT.
Thanks

Maybe try using lye for the wax and paint, and then using the muric acid. Just a thought, never done it before.

Cement mixer with sand. Run until pleased with result.

Acid can weaken the springs. My vote is with Willy and his cement mixer. Make sure to wrap your chains around the jaws and wire them down or you will have a tangled mess in no time.

One can of this to a five gallon bucket of water will get it to bare metal. Let soak for a day or so. If stubborn crud, dip or paint hit with a pressure washer or wire brush and let soak some more.

20 - Good point to help a beginner. I use a zip tie to contain the chain to prevent tangles.
I bought a really nice cement mixer that was advertised on Craigslist.

Vinegar straight

That's what I use.

Personally if they are just dyed and waxed I just hose them down to remove any dirt then throw them in a pot of boiling water to remove the wax, let them sit and use a hose to over flow the pot to get the wax and anything floating on the surface out then pull them out and let them dry.

If they have spots of rust that need extra attention I throw traps in vinegar, this will take off all the dye and rust. Then I dye everything again and wax.
If I’m using the 5% acidity vinegar I let them sit over night. The higher the percentage of acidity the less time I let them sit.

I dye all my conibears after the first season I use them. Then I clean then in vinegar and dye them.

I'm with Willy.....I use sand, buckshot {3/8 screened rock} and a dash of CLR

I have a small portable sand blaster that works well. But, it's messy.

Thanks everyone look like Ill be looking for a concrete mixer

This

Vinegar is easy after 24 hours I pull em hit the tough spots with a wire brush and soak for another 24 hours

This is the only way I've treated traps for the past seven year except I use blasting grit. Tumble & wax is all that is needed. No chemicals/water to get rid of and I'm still using the same blasting grit after 7 years.

Here is a before and after waiting for the wax.

that's what I'm talking about ..why soak in mild acid[expensive] and weaken springs.....that Harbor Freight mixer is pretty good

I dip my traps in Speed dip (camp fuel as the thinner, not gasoline), so I do not wax my traps. So, when I purchase used traps with wax on them, They get a bath in parts washer solution. It takes the wax right off. If it is on heavy, you might have to use a brush to take the wax off. If there is trap dip on them this will strip that off also. It evaporates like kerosene and leaves a bit of a smell, but some dollar store brand dish liquid and a trip to the car wash or if you have one, a pressure washer, takes care of that.
To strip any rust or trap dye (log wood,walnut hull, ect.) off of them, I soak overnight in white vinegar. A trip back to the carwash (for me) or a pressure washer will blow all of the old rust or dye off. You will be left with a dull grey, bare metal trap.